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WORLD’S LARGEST INFINITY POOL BECOME A RECORD ATTRACTION
WorldNews DEC 2010 SPN
The world’s most spectacular infinity pool is also a record breaker in other ways. It has quickly become one of the world’s top attractions. If you fancy a dip in this pool, you’ll need a head for heights – it’s 55 storeys up. But swimming to the edge won’t be quite as risky as it looks. While the water in the infinity pool seems to end in a sheer drop, it actually spills into a catchment area where it is pumped back into the main pool. At three times the length of an Olympic pool and 650ft up, it is the largest outdoor
pool in the world at that height. It features in the, boat-shaped ‘SkyPark’ perched across the three towers that make up the world’s most expensive hotel, the £4bn Marina Bay Sands development in Singapore. The Sands SkyPark pool was built by the Natare Corporation, with some interesting facts.
The SkyPark pool is made up of three separate shells: the middle shell is constructed atop the middle tower while the outer shells are constructed on bridges that connect to the
middle tower. The bridges between each tower were built with a 3-inch camber to accommodate the weight of the pool when filled with water. Beneath the main pools are four movement joints, designed to help the pools withstand the natural motion of the towers. The largest movement joint can accommodate a total range of motion of 19.68 inches. A custom jacking system ensures the pool’s infinity edge will remain within its original placement and continue to function properly. The company created a scale model in an effort to troubleshoot and test different methods.
Due to logistical constraints, Natare constructed most of the pool’s components at its Indianapolis manufacturing base. The 40,000 pieces to construct the pool enclosures were shipped in 30 ocean freight containers.
INDIA TAKES OVER AS WORLD’S FASTEST GROWING POOL INDUSTRY
Take a guess at which country will, at the end of 2010, boast the fastest growing pool and spa industry in the world?. The wisdom of international companies such as AstralPool (Spain), Pentair (US), Grundfos (Denmark), Triogen and Certikin (UK) and Desjoyaux (France) of investing in the Indian market is likely to pay strong dividends as the pool market in India is now officially established as the number one in the world – overtaking China.
The market figures for India are impressive. The market is growing at 50% a year in an industry now estimated to be worth US$400m. Within three years it is expected to be worth US$1bn.
The World Bank has projected in its Global Development Finance Report that the Indian economy will grow at 8% in 2010, which would make it the fastest-growing economy in the world and for the first time, surpassing China. For the current year, the Indian economy is projected to grow at 5.1%, revised up from an earlier projection of 4%. The trends are there for all to see – most significantly perhaps the fact that there will be over 300 million people in India’s newly acquired middle-class – an emerging economic class which has led to higher than average spends on luxury items, household goods and now pools and spas. The importance of the market hasn’t been lost on the next wave of international companies expected to have a base in India within the next 12 months with over 200 from the US alone thought to be opening Indian branches to their businesses. The demand for expertise within the emerging pool and spa industry is still high.
US TITLE CLAIMS THREE STUDIES WARN AGAINST HEALTH RISKS OF INDOOR POOLS
Frequent use of swimming pools, especially indoor ones, can lead to long-term health problems, say three new studies published in the US based journal Environmental Health Perspectives. According to the reports, chemical disinfection by-products that form in pools – and in the air surrounding them – can potentially cause lung damage, asthma and cancer.
In the first study, samples of blood, urine and exhaled air from otherwise healthy individuals who swam in an indoor pool for 40 minutes revealed a significant increase in bio-markers of toxicity. Such toxicity occurs as a result of chlorine and other pool
chemicals reacting with organic matter that is either introduced into the water through sweat and skin, or that is present in the water naturally. Exposure to disinfection by- products increased the four biomarkers of toxicity sevenfold, indicating they are a serious threat to health.
The second study found that a 40- minute swim in the pool can also cause short-term cell damage in the lungs. Perpetual cell damage from prolonged exposure can lead to serious respiratory illness.
The third study revealed that both chlorinated and brominated pools are loaded with dangerous disinfection
by-products. Samples of water from both sources revealed more than 100 toxic by-products, many of which have never been identified in either swimming pool or drinking water. Research continues to show that long-term exposure to the countless disinfection by-products present in both swimming pool water increases users’ risk of developing asthma and bladder cancer. Until then, concerned individuals can choose to swim in ultra-violet disinfected pools and spas. The UV treatment kills dangerous pathogens and pollutants without creating toxic by-products. Minimal, if any, chemicals are required to keep UV-treated pools optimally purified.
85 IN BRIEF
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MARQUIS GRANTS FIRST CANADIAN WISH
Marquis Spas has expanded its campaign to include granting wishes in Canada in addition to the United States and the UK. Carson, a Brantford, Ontario, resident, received his own hot tub, courtesy of the Make-A- Wish Foundation, Marquis Spas and Great Escape Hot Tubs. Carson’s wish marks the first official wish granted in Canada by Marquis, and started off the company’s new discount program to help grant hot tub wishes throughout the country. “Marquis Spas and Great Escape Hot Tubs are really making a difference in Carson’s life by helping grant his hot tub wish,” says Jennifer Ritter, Chief Executive of the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Canada. “We couldn’t be more excited to have Marquis Spas on board supporting wishes in Canada. Marquis is an icon brand that has a long history of community support and focus on supporting youth and family.
NEW LOOK WEBSITE FOR NSPF
The National Swimming Pool Federation in the United States has redesigned its website to help visitors find information faster and more easily. “Our website visitors can find information intuitively – by topic, by clicking on an icon, or by entering a keyword search. The site surrounds them with information focused on their type of organisation,” says Alex Antoniou, Director of
Educational Programs at NSPF. The new home page features one-touch icons for each organisation type, where visitors will be matched up to a host of information, products, services and recommendations specific to their organisation’s needs. See
www.nspf.org to see the new site in action.
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